I Don't, But I Do
by Chrissy G
Summary: Sequel to Birthday Surprises. Inspired by the lyrics of But I Do Love You by Leann Rhimes. David's having a really bad day where nothing is going right, but Jack helps to make it a little less miserable. Fluffy slash. Don't like it, don't read it!
1. Chapter 1

I Don't, But I Do

Sequel to Birthday Surprises

Inspired by the lyrics of But I Do Love You by Leann Rhimes

Chapter One

David woke up and looked out the window. It had rained off and on for the last two days. Even though the rain had finally stopped, there were still dark clouds in the sky. David groaned at the sight. With the lousy weather, he just wanted to stay in bed all day wrapped in a cocoon of blankets, not pounding the streets of New York peddling newspapers.

_I don't like to see a sky painted gray._

David saw that Sarah and Les were still deep in slumber in their beds. He looked over at the clock and saw that he still had time. Content with this, he rolled over and went back to sleep.

As he slept, he began to have a dream. In it, he had everything he wanted. He walked down the streets of New York on a bright, sunny day. His pockets jingled with change as he walked. He held hands with the person he adored more than anybody in the world. The leader, the rebel, the baby-faced eighteen year old that he never expected to fall in love with. It was all about Jack Kelly. They stopped in front of a fountain in Central Park. Jack stroked David's cheek. He pulled him close, bringing David's face into his. Their lips were almost touching when…

"David!"

David awoke with a start. Les was standing at his bedside, fully dressed in his everyday clothes. David quickly realized that this was not how it should have been.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"Seven thirty," Les replied.

David swore and threw the covers off the bed.

"Why haven't you left yet?" David asked his brother as he started to dress.

"Me and Sarah are going with mama and papa to visit grandma," Les said. "Remember?"

"Oh, yeah."

"You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just gotta get going."

David dressed quickly and rushed out of the apartment. He took the stairs two at a time until he reached the ground floor. He was mindful of the puddles and careful not to slip on the sludge on the streets as he hurried to the distribution center.

When he finally got there, he saw Jack leaning against the gate. There was a stack of papers at his feet and he grinned when he saw David approach.

"You're late," he said.

"Overslept," David replied. "Thanks for waiting for me."

"We're in this together, man. You'd better get in the line."

David smiled at him and got in line behind the other newsies. He kept looking over his shoulder, hoping that there might be another late-comer. He got closer to the window, but no one else came. At the window, Weasel (as they all called him) regarded David with a curious expression.

"You are the last person I'd expect to see at the end of the line," he said.

David shrugged it off, though he did feel embarrassed about being late. He paid for his papers and walked back over to where Jack was waiting.

_I don't like to be the last with the news._

Jack picked up his papers and tucked them under his arm. "How many did you get?"

"They only had fifty," David said. He normally took a hundred.

"Guess that'll teach you to sleep in. Must've been some dream you were having."

David gave him a shy smile. "Yeah, it was." If only he knew.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The two boys walked down to the corner and started to call out the headlines. Jack always had a way of making the news sound more interesting than it really was. David just went along with whatever he came up with. Jack's creativity was one of the things that David found attractive.

He had had feelings for Jack for quite a while. He hadn't yet confessed to him how he felt because he was afraid of how Jack might react. That, and there were laws that would prevent them from ever being a _real _couple.

"Hey!"

Jack and David turned to see Anthony, the owner of the coffee shop, coming down the street with a baseball bat in his hand. The boys grabbed their papers and started to run. They heard Anthony yell at them as they ran off.

"I've told you newsie scumbags not to harass my customers! I see you pushing your papers here again, I'm calling the cops!"

"Don't make promises you can't keep!" David yelled back. Jack laughed and flipped Anthony off. Then the boys ducked into a nearby alleyway. They waited a minute ensure Anthony wasn't pursuing them.

"We should've stayed," David sighed.

Jack looked at him curiously. "You really wanna risk that?"

"He doesn't own the sidewalk. That's public property. It's not like we're _stealing _his customers. It makes me so angry."

_I don't like to hear I'm wrong when I'm right._

"Don't worry about it, Davey," Jack said. "I've been working on a way to get back at him."

"Like what?"

Jack grinned. "You'll see."

He lit up a cigarette before they started back on their route. It was early evening before their papers were gone. As they walked home, David told Jack about the latest book he was reading.

"What happens then?" Jack asked.

"They make a new life on the island," David replied. "They build a big house high up in the trees. Maybe I can lend it to you."

"I don't know about that. I mean, I read OK, but with a fancy book like that?"

"Jack, I could…"

Suddenly, David stepped off the curb and stumbled. He landed on his stomach in the street. His shoes and front were soaked from a big puddle.

"Jeez," Jack said. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," David replied. Aside from being wet, his knees and the palms of his hands were stinging.

Jack offered his hand and helped his friend to his feet. David looked down at his knees. He was lucky there were no tears in his pants. Then he looked at his hands. His palms were scraped up and his right hand was bleeding slightly.

"You sure you're alright?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," David said. "Just embarrassed."

Jack gave him a comforting squeeze on the arm. Then the boys started for home again. David's socks squished in his shoes with every step.

_I don't like to have the rain on my shoes._

"This has been a pretty lousy day," David said.

Jack shrugged. "Could be worse."

"I don't see how."

Just then, there was a loud crack of thunder. David jumped and both boys looked up at the sky.

"You'd better get home," Jack said. "Take off your wet clothes before you get sick."

"Alright, I'll see you later."

The two boys hurried off in their separate directions.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

David managed to make it back to his apartment building before the storm started. The thunder had threatened him the whole way. At the front door of the building, a wave of terror suddenly came over him. He reached into his front pockets, then his back pockets and then his shirt pocket. In his haste that morning, he had forgotten his key.

"Shit!"

David slammed his fist against the door.

_I don't like when nothing's going my way_

He knew that he was stuck. The rest of the family wasn't going to be home until tomorrow morning. The other residents had surely made it home by now. There wasn't going to be anyone coming or going for a while, especially with the thunderstorm looming overhead. David tried to come up with some solution to this problem. He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his curls. Then he looked at the hat in his hands. It was the newsboy cap that Jack had given him for his birthday.

"Jack," David said to himself. "Of course!"

He put his hat back on and hurried around to the side of the building. He climbed up the fire escape to his bedroom window. This was usually how Jack visited. David hoped for the best. He pressed his hands to the glass and slid the window up.

"Yes!"

Then he climbed inside. The timing was good, too. A few short minutes later, the sky opened up and rain starting pouring down in a blinding sheet.

David took off his wet clothes and hung them up to dry. With clean, dry clothes on, he spread out on his bed and started to read his book. After a while, the rain slowed down and finally stopped as it usually did with summer storms. When he reached the end of the chapter, David looked around the room.

The silence was nice, but he started to feel lonely. He was proud to be the one that was earning money while his father recovered from his injury, but it was slightly depressing that this was the reason he couldn't accompany the family on the visit to grandma's.

_I don't like to be alone in the night._

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the window. David looked over to see Jack standing on the fire escape. He got up and opened the window. He could see darkened spots on Jack's clothes from the raindrops. His wet hair stuck to his cheek.

"Weren't you the one warning me about wet clothes?" David asked.

Jack glared at him. "Alright, alright. Let me in before I catch pneumonia."

David stepped aside and Jack climbed through the window. David shut the window behind him.

"I'll go get you a towel," David said.

"Thanks," Jack replied.

David went to the bathroom and pulled a towel from the closet. When he returned to the bedroom, he stopped in the doorway. Jack had stripped off his wet clothes and was hanging them over the end of the bed to dry. David blushed slightly at the sight of his crush in nothing but his long johns.

Jack looked over at David. "You got that towel?"

"Yeah." David tossed him the towel. He caught it and ran it over his hair. "Are you hungry? I could make some soup."

"Yeah, sure. Soup's good."

David went into the kitchen. He found a can of soup in the cupboard and heated it on the stove. Then he and Jack sat on the floor of the bedroom to eat their dinner.

"Did your day get any better?" Jack asked.

"I'm afraid not. I locked myself out of the apartment and had to climb in through the window."

Jack chuckled. "You're stealing my moves."

"Plus, I'm all on my own tonight."

"Yeah, I saw that. Where is everyone?"

"They went to Albany to visit my grandma. It's weird to have the place so quiet." David sighed. "I'm sorry to be such a downer, but if I could redo this entire day, I would."

_I don't like to be the one with the blues._

"Sorry you're having such a rotten day," Jack said. He paused for a moment. "Do you think your folks would mind if I stayed the night here?"

David gave him a curious look. "Something wrong with the lodging house?"

"The roof leaks. It's hard to sleep when all you hear all night long is the sound of rain collecting in pots. It makes you want to get up every fifteen minutes to pee."

David chuckled. "Well, I guess not. There's gonna be plenty of room with just me here."

"Alright."

"Alright."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

A long silence passed between Jack and David as they ate their soup.

"Dave," Jack said finally. "We're friends, right?"

"Yeah," David replied slowly, unsure of where this conversation was going.

"Well, I just come to realize that I really don't know all that much about you."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything." David cocked an eyebrow at his friend. "Look, we'll make a game of it. I'll ask you a question, then you ask me one. Nothing's off limits."

David thought for a moment. "Alright. Should…should I go first, then?"

"Sure."

"Nothing's off limits?"

"That's right."

"Are you a virgin?"

Jack couldn't help but smile. "Wow, pulling out the big questions first thing. Yeah, I am. Same question to you."

"Yes, I am." David took a moment to think of his next question. "Who was your first kiss?"

"Your sister."

"Sarah? But then why…?"

Jack held up his hand. "One question at a time. My turn. Same question."

David hesitated. "I've, um…never been kissed."

Jack considered this for a moment. "We might have to do something about that, Davey."

"Alright. Truthfully. Why did you break up with Sarah?"

Jack glanced out the window and then back at David. "I'm in love with somebody else."

David's hand slowly balled into a fist, anxiously awaiting his next turn. Jack made it worse with the time it took for him to come up with his question.

"Why don't you have a girlfriend, Davey?"

David looked down at the floor. "There is somebody that I love, but they don't know it."

Then it was David's turn. He jumped on his question, but Jack pushed a question also.

"Who?" they said in unison.

David shook his head. "This is my turn, cowboy. Who are you in love with?" There was a very long pause. "Jack?"

Another long pause, and then Jack got up from the floor. "I don't wanna play this game anymore."

David scowled and also stood. "Hey, you said nothing was off limits."

Jack started to put his pants on. "I can't answer that question."

"It's a simple question, Jack."

"The answer's complicated."

David was confused. He had never seen Jack so introverted. Once he had his pants on, Jack grabbed his shirt and shoes, and went to the window.

"Are you _leaving_?" David asked.

"You have no idea what you're asking me," Jack said, and he climbed out the window.

David followed him. He managed to get in front of him and block the steps of the fire escape. He had Jack trapped.

The two boys stared each other down. Then, Jack did something that David had never seen him do. He cried. A big, wet tear silently rolled down Jack's cheek.

"What are you so afraid of?" David asked.

Jack wiped the tear away and sniffled. "If I tell you, you're either gonna be pissed or you're gonna laugh."

"You don't know that for sure."

Jack sighed heavily. "David, I'm in love with you."

David felt his heart flutter. "You are?"

Jack nodded. "Go ahead. Cry, laugh, scream. Do whatever you're gonna do."

David smiled. He took Jack's hand in his. "You seriously underestimate me."

Jack glanced at his hand and then back at David. "Are you saying what I think you are?"

"Yes, Jack. I am."

_But I do love you._

Jack tossed his shoes and shirt back into the apartment. "Do you think anyone can see us from up here?" he asked.

David quickly looked around. "No. Why?"

"This is why."

Jack pushed him against the side of the building and smashed his lips against David's. David felt goose bumps rise on his skin. He placed his hand on the nape of Jack's neck as he kissed him back. A moment later, the rain started to pick up again, but neither boy wanted to stop.

_And I love to kiss you in the rain._


End file.
